Remembering The Sycamore Gap Tree

An invite to be part of a set of curated thoughts, ideas, artist product listings and memories online

“For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.”

– Martin Luther King

It seems impossible but we are writing to hold space for the sad and shocking news that the iconic tree at Sycamore Gap was felled.

As the news spread quickly on the morning of Thursday 28th September, personal memories, snapshots, artwork and photographs were shared across social media. Online timelines were full of beautiful imagery and poignant words.

The tree sat on a walking route of Hadrian’s Wall and was thought to be over 300 years old. It’s usual silhouette in the landscape has inspired millions of people to make art over the years. From films to music, from paintings to greetings cards there are a million and one ways to remember the site as it was.

© Northumberland National Parks

The space at Sycamore Gap is care taken by National Trust and Northumberland National Park and both of whom have issued statements asking the public not to visit at this time. Here is a statement from the National Trust;

For nearly 200 years, the iconic sycamore tree stood tall as a striking image at Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort in Northumberland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’re shocked and saddened to confirm this was felled overnight on 27 September.

We ask that people keep away from the site at this current time while we fully assess the fallen tree and can do the work needed to make it safe. This incident has been reported to the police.

We're very grateful for all the offers of support we've received from people in the North East of England and much further afield. It’s clear this tree was special to many people.

Andrew Poad, General Manager at Hadrian’s Wall and Housesteads Fort, said:

‘The tree has been an important and iconic feature in the landscape for nearly 200 years and means a lot to the local community and to anyone who has visited the site.’

Currently, we’re focussed on making the site safe, and helping staff and the community come to terms with the news. We’ll be working with Northumberland National Park, other partners and the local community to consider plans for the site and the tree in the future, and we’ll inform people as soon as we know.

This iconic sycamore tree was planted in the late 1800s by the previous landowner, John Clayton, to be a feature in the landscape. The land and the tree came into our care in the 1940s.

The tree found fame when it featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1991 and was also awarded the English Tree of the Year award by the Woodland Trust in 2016.

National Trust, September 2023

Your Invitation

A curated set of memories

At Culture Northumberland, we want to invite and encourage those who have special photographs, art work, merchandise or products to tell us about them.

We want to share online links so we can pull together a set of public resources on our website and serve the community of people who want to connect to their own special memories of the tree. ¹

rebeccavincentart

A post shared by @rebeccavincentart

Please use the comment section here on Substack

If you’d like to share a link to your shop, artwork, film, writing, a memory or photograph of Sycamore Gap please do so in the comments below by the end of November 2023. ²

Any questions?

You can reply below or reply to this email.

1. Culture Northumberland is a project supported by Northumberland County Council, North East Cultural Freelancers and Alnwick Playhouse. Our purpose is to promote and amplify those working and living in the arts and heritage sector in Northumberland.

2. The webpage will be build and re-shared in this space and via our social media channels in December. In the meantime you can read and share this post with your communities.

Thanks to Rebecca Vincent for granting permission to share her artwork as part of this post.